Do You Fear God?

With much that is practiced and spoken today in the church about being under grace and not under law, it appears that there is an element present within believers that they have cheapened the grace given by God.

Much is spoken about being under grace and having freedom in Jesus Christ. What has happened? Has the true ekklesia really changed over the past 1,900+ years from the first century ekklesia?

Are the ‘believers’ going through the motions of churchianity and forgotten the fear of the LORD? What has happened to the fear of the believers?

The fear of the Lord is in the Old Testament used as a designation of true piety*:

(7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. ~ Proverbs 1:7

(28) And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. ~ Job 28:28

(9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. ~ Psalm 19:9

It is a fear conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather filial reverence. Now compare the preceding Scriptures with Deuteronomy 32:6; Hosea 11:1; Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 63:16; Isaiah 64:8.*

God is called “the Fear of Isaac” (Genesis 31:42, 53), i.e., the God whom Isaac feared.*

A holy fear is enjoined also in the New Testament as a preventive of carelessness in religion, and as an incentive to penitence:

(28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ~ Matthew 10:28 

(43) And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ~ Acts 2:43

(5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. ~ Acts 5:5

(11) And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. ~ Acts 5:11

(31) Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. ~ Acts 9:31

(17) And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. ~ Acts 19:17

(18) There is no fear of God before their eyes. ~ Romans 3:18

(3) And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:3

(11) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:11

(1) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. ~ 2 Corinthians 7:1

(21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. ~ Ephesians 5:21

(12) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (13) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. ~ Philippians 2:12, 13

(28) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (29) For our God is a consuming fire. ~ Hebrews 12:28, 29

(17) And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: ~ 1 Peter 1:17

(15) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: ~ 1 Peter 3:15

If God changes not, for “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8) and the prophets and kings of old fell upon their faces, lying prostrate before the LORD, renting their clothes and putting on sackcloth and ashes, praying fervently, why are Christians today so blasé in their worship and service to God Almighty? And why are Christians careless in the doctrine of Jesus Christ?

We know the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; then we should all evade our lame excuses and repent of our lacklustre worship of our Sovereign God. Why do you think the ekklesia of the first century turned this world upside down for Christ Jesus? They had a healthy fear of God and were filled and moved by the Holy Spirit!

Quit your lame excuses by playing gymnastics with the Holy Scriptures to fit with your ‘acrobatic’ lifestyles. It just doesn’t work. In fact – that is idolatry, moulding a religion and forming a god in your own image and expectations. That just will not do if you are a Christian. Stop blaspheming Christ’s name.

God commands obedience (Romans 6:16), holiness (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16) and perfection (Matthew 5:48). And these requirements come with a genuine fear of God!

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• E-Sword: “Fear of the Lord”